On June 17th the Landscape Industry Certified Technician (LICT) Test was held in Kona at the University of Hawaii CTAHR Experiment Station in Kainaliu, with thanks to the dedication and hard work on the part of the Board of Directors of the Hawaii Island Landscape Association (HILA).Tests were conducted in Ornamental Maintenance, Softscape Installation and Irrigation. The test started with a traditional pule, blessing our candidates and volunteer judges for a safe and successful day. Then the candidates went to work, showing their skills learned from the Landscape Maintenance Training program and Test Prep Intensive day that most participated in. Candidates passing the test and receiving their LICT certifications are as follows: In Ornamental Maintenance: Bruce Costello of Bruce Costello Landscape Maintenance Clinton Hirayasu of Kukio Community Association Daniel E. Damazo of MLM LLC Melvin K. Thomas Jr. of MLM LLC James Spencer of Chambers Landscape and Irrigation Rocco Mico-Talen of Bezona Botanical Nephi Brown of Four Season Resort Hualalai Zachary Price of Landes Home Service Sean Prentiss self-employed In... ...
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UH Focuses Research Efforts to Crush the Coconut Rhinoceros Beetle in Hawai’i
by Keith Weiser, Ph.D. Something has been munching on Oahu’s palm trees and UH researchers are testing some innovative approaches to stop it. The coconut rhinoceros beetle (Oryctes rhinoceros) AKA CRB was found on Oahu for the first time in December of 2013 and a multi-agency response has been combating the invasive insect to eradicate it from Hawai’i. This native of Southeast Asia lays eggs in decaying plant material like mulch or compost and the eggs hatch into larvae that feed on the decaying material. After growing and feeding for several months, the ~3 inch long white larvae go through metamorphosis to become adult beetles. The adults are ~2 inch black beetles with a distinctive horn on their head. The adults emerge at night and fly to palm trees to feed. Coconut trees (Cocos nucifera) are their favorites but they will feed on a variety of palms and other plants including date palms (Phoenix sp.), native Hawaiian palms (Pritchardia sp.), sugar cane (Saccharum sp.), and many common landscaping palms. When... ...
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Developing New Selections Native Hawaiian Plants for Landscape and Interior Use
This article, with more photos, appeared in the May/June Issue of Hawaii Landscape By Orville C. Baldos, CTAHR Research Support Department of Tropical Plant and Soil Sciences In recent years, the promotion and use of native plants as ornamentals has increased steadily in both local and national levels due to growing awareness of water use issues, biodiversity conservation, invasive species spread, storm water management and the need to provide suitable habitats for pollinators and other wildlife. In Hawaii, the use of native plants in landscaping projects has tremendously increased since the first efforts to promote native plants in public landscaping was passed into law in 1992. Today, native plants such as naupaka (Scaevola taccada), ‘uki‘uki (Dianella sandwicensis), pohinahina (Vitex rotundifolia), O’ahu sedge (Carex wahuensis), ‘ilima (Sida fallax), ilie’e (Plumbago zeylanica) and ‘akia (Wikstroemia uva ursi) have become commonplace in many installed designs. Despite the widespread use and acceptance of native Hawaiian plants in landscaping, there is still a very limited number of species/selections available at many nurseries. The lack... ...
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A Call to Arms / LFA Hui on Big Island
Hawai’i already suffers from more invasive species than any other state in the nation and remains constantly vulnerable to them due to its heavy reliance on imports. Almost 90% of our food and a large number of plants come from the outside and provide avenues for their entry. Once invasive species reach the Islands their impacts are often swift and severe due to our unique, fragile ecosystem. Governor Ige recently summed up our vulnerability and the importance of immediate action in a single sentence: “Invasive species pose the single greatest threat to Hawaii’s economy and natural environment, and the health and lifestyle of Hawaii’s people.” Despite these imminent dangers only 4% of the state budget is dedicated to addressing this paramount threat. Similarly, only a very small portion of the public is currently aware of these imminent dangers. If the introduction of invasive species is left unchecked the consequences will be devastating, particularly in the case of the little fire ant (LFA). Entomologists who have studied this... ...
Read More →Certification 2017 Season Off To A Great Start
https://www.hawaiiscape.co The Landscape Industry Certified Technician Program got off to a great start; first test of the year was held April 27th and 29th on Kauai. 15 candidates tested for Ornamental Maintenence Certification. Next up will be the LICT Test in Kona; 16 Ornamental Maintenance, 6 Irrigation, and 2 Softscape Intallation Candidates will test on June 15 and 17th. Classes start on Oahu June 7th will the test scheduled for August 10th and 12th. ...
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Hawaii DOT is Raising the Bar on Worker Qualifications
Roadside Maintenance Contracts Require CLTs and Arborists CLT Certification is now required for all Hawaii DOT roadside landscape maintenance contracts. All private contractors must show proof of certified employees before signing new roadside mowing & irrigation maintenance contracts. At least one supervisor must be certified in good standing as a CLT/Maintenance and one with the CLT/Irrigation and must be on the work site at all times during operation. Both of these certifications may be held by the same person serving in the respective positions. All tree work above 10 feet also requires certified workers. This requirement calls for an ISA Certified Arborist with at least six years of experience to supervise and be on site at all times during tree work above 10 feet. All work in the tree must be done by Certified Tree Workers with at least three years experience with local tree species. CLT Training and Certification Starts Soon The 2011 CLT season begins with the Kauai training classes in May and June. All those interested should... ...
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Research Supports Keeping It Local!
USING NATIVE HAWAIIAN PLANTS IN LANDSCAPING WILL PROMOTE AWARENESS AND CREATE NEW DEPOSITS OF NATIVE FLORA Plant local! We know there’s debate about how strongly native Hawaiian species like `ohi`a lehua should be emphasized in local landscaping projects. Often plants are chosen based on availability, popularity, ease of growth and economics. Here’s another consideration that hits closer to home. Hawaii’s native plants face a multitude of threats in their natural environments (fueling our infamous title of “endangered species capitol of the world”). Use of native species in landscaping efforts will not only showcase and promote an awareness of the unique beauty of Hawaiian flora, but done wisely can also create “repositories” of genetic stock. However, given the findings of our research and related studies on the evolution and biogeography of Hawaii’s flora, we strongly urge the landscape industry to keep native species as local to their source as possible and leave genetic introductions to conservation managers. Hawai`i is an unprecedented natural laboratory for experiments in local adaptation and speciation (the... ...
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‘Iliahi – The Forest Mediator
The ‘Iliahi tree (Sandalwood) is a remarkable, valuable, and fascinating plant that can play a vital role in native landscapes. ‘Iliahi trees (Santalum spp.) are hemi-parasitic and require a host plant to help them grow. Their shallow roots graft onto roots of other plants through a sucker-like organ called haustoria which enable them to take nourishment from the host (or multiple hosts). That would seem like a big disadvantage for the host plant, but the reality is more complex and there may be shared benefits. It could be that ‘Iliahi was an essential part of the mesic forests of Hawaii as a unifying element helping to balance resources. Four species of Sandalwood are listed as endemic to Hawaii, including Santalum ellipticum, S. freycinetianum, S. haleakalae, and S. paniculatum. ‘Iliahi has few insect pests, is drought tolerant (particularly S. ellipticum), has attractive reddish new leaves and flowers (particularly S. freycinetianum), and has a slow to moderate growth rate with ultimate height varying between species and planting locations. Historic records and other... ...
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